"Is it a restaurant?" I guessed, looking out the window as the scenery whizzed by.
"No," Parker disagreed.
I pulled my knees up to my chin, resting my chin on my knees as Parker sped down the street.
"Is it somewhere fun?" I asked.
"That's not an eligible question."
I let out a sigh, watching as Parker turned down a back road.
"Are we almost there?"
"Almost."
"It's supposed to be yes or no answers," I chastised, flashing him a teasing smile.
"Then yes," he amended, flashing me a smile as well.
And then he turned into the parking lot of a park.
"The park?" I asked, turning to face him.
"That's not an eligible question."
I ignored him, a smile stretching across my face.
He parked his car before hopping out, and I followed suit.
And then he surprised me by opening the trunk and producing a picnic basket and blanket.
"What's this?" I asked, unable to contain my giddiness.
"This is called a picnic basket," he informed me, with a smirk. "And this? A blanket."
I shook my head as he reached up to close the trunk.
"Well can I carry something?"
"No."
I rolled my eyes as he led me towards the park.
We set up our picnic on a grassy plain, and Parker opened the basket to reveal homemade sandwiches, potato salad, and sweet tea.
"This looks amazing," I complimented, accepting my thermos of sweet tea.
"Can you repeat that? I think I missed it."
I shook my head at him, laughing.
He was such an egotistical ass.
"I just thought we could use the getaway," Parker informed me, taking a bite of his sandwich.
"I couldn't agree more."
He braced his arms behind him, leaning back and observing the empty park.
I couldn't help but notice how his arm muscles rippled.
"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked, taking a bite of my own sandwich.
"I'd much rather a sexual favor than a penny."
I pressed my hand over my mouth, trying not to spit my food out as I laughed.
I am the epitome of gracefulness.
"A kiss for your thoughts?" I amended, once I'd finished off my bite of sandwich.
"Better," he agreed, flashing me a smile. "And I was just thinking about how sad it is that kids don't go to parks anymore."
I hummed in agreement before reaching over the picnic basket and planting a kiss on his cheek.
"What was that?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at me.
"I kissed you for your thoughts," I said, with a smile.
"Sneaky," he muttered, his gaze returning towards the empty park.
"So did you make this food?" I asked, sipping on the sweet tea.
"I did," he agreed. "Though I'll let Lee take the credit for the sweet tea because he dumped a hell of a lot of sugar in it."
"Tastes amazing."
Parker took a sip of his sweet tea before nodding in agreement.
"A real kiss for your real thoughts?" I suggested, after a few more minutes of silence.
"It's guardian stuff," he admitted, his eyes flickering over to me.
"What kind of guardian stuff?"
"I've currently got the government on my ass," he informed me, with a sigh. "Apparently they don't see me as an ideal guardian for a kid like Lee."
I reached across the picnic basket and gave him a real kiss this time, square on the lips.
"I could do that all day," he promised, pulling me over the picnic basket and into his lap.
"Parker!" I laughed, looking around the park.
"There aren't any kids here," he promised, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"I don't this is the appropriate place."
He answered by kissing me, and I couldn't resist kissing him back.
Parker Adams was a hell of a kisser.
~*~
"The water is going to be freezing," Emmett said to Parker, as we loaded up the car.
"Tell that to him," Parker said, jerking his thumb at Lee.
"Worth it," Lee said, with a smile.
"I'm with Lee," I said, with a shrug. "It's a nice day."
"That doesn't change the temperature of the water," Emmett said, before hopping in the backseat.
Parker opened the other backseat door for me, and I rolled my eyes, feeling the blush as I climbed inside.
"No," Emmett ordered, shaking his head. "Not going to happen. Not while I'm here."
"So you'd rather it happen while you're not around?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows.
Lee laughed from the passenger's seat as he slid his sunglasses on.
"Shut up," Emmett ordered.
I sat criss-cross in my seat, texting Michelle as we headed to the beach.
She was still in the Hamptons, and enjoying every minute of it, even though she constantly complained.
"Do you guys have the cooler in the front seat?" I asked, looking up from my phone.
"Yeah," Lee agreed.
"Pass me a water?"
Lee dug into the cooler, finding a bottle of water and handing it back to me.
I went to accept it from him, but the jagged scars that ripped their way across Lee's inner arm caught my eye.
I looked up into Lee's eyes, and his eyes glanced down at his scars before looking at me.
"Thank you," I said, taking the water from him.
He immediately folded his arms across his chest, staring out of the window.
I looked over at Parker in the driver's seat, who was tapping along to the radio on the steering wheel, a smile on his face as he listened to whatever Emmett was rambling on about.
Did Parker know about Lee?
Emmett and Parker conversed on the rest of the ride to the beach, Lee and I both remaining silent.
We stopped in at the gas station before we hit the beach, Emmett heading inside to use the restroom.
Leaving just Lee and me in the car.
Silence stretched between the two of us, and I wasn't sure what to say to break it.
You can't just come right out and ask somebody if they're cutting themselves.
"My mom knew," Lee said, turning around in the passenger seat to face me.
"What?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him.
"My mom knew," he repeated. "I don't do it anymore, but she knew when I did. We used to talk about it, and I talked about it with my therapist. But she was it. Parker never knew."
"Do you ever plan on telling him?" I asked.
"I did," Lee said, looking out at Parker, who was pumping gas into the Edge. "But it's never a good time."
"He cares a lot about you Lee," I said, with a small smile. "He deserves to know."
"I know," Lee agreed, with a sigh. "I just don't want him to be disappointed in me."
I looked over at Parker, who was leaning against the car while he waited for the gas to finish pumping.
"He loves you Lee," I said, looking back over to Lee. "And that kind of love is unconditional. You can't do anything to break it or lose it."
Lee didn't say anything else, and Emmett joined us a few moments later.
"I hate gas prices," Parker informed us, as he climbed back into the car. "I seriously feel like they rise every time I need to fill up."
"Wait until you get a Mercedes dude," Emmett said, shaking his head. "And you have to get the Premium shit that costs extra."
"Never," Parker clarified, shaking his head. "I couldn't imagine paying more in gas than I already do."
~*~
"You've got to be hot," Parker's voice said.
I cracked open an eye to see him standing over me, reapplying his sunscreen.
"I am, thanks for noticing," I said, flashing him a smile.
He smiled at that.
I sat up, turning over to look out into the ocean.
Lee was currently sitting on his surfboard, waiting for a wave.
Emmett and Parker had set up two soccer goals, and had attracted quite the crowd to play some beach soccer.
"You sure you don't want to join?" Parker offered, again.
"Nope," I declined, shaking my head. "But I'll watch you."
"Can I get a good luck kiss?"
"Score me a goal and then I'll think about it."
Parker chuckled before jogging back out to join the game.
I braced my arms behind me, watching the game for a few moments before looking over to Lee.
He'd managed to catch a wave, and was currently surfing it in.
I didn't see Lee as the surfer type, but after spending a couple of hours at the beach with him, I have to admit that he was pretty good.
And then Parker scored a goal.
I clapped for him as he jogged over to me, a look of triumph on his face.
He bent down and kissed me, and I couldn't help but smile.
"No!" I heard Emmett yell, causing Parker to crack up and pull away.
"Pretty sure he said he'd murder you if he ever saw us kiss," I reminded Parker, with a smile.
"Well in that case, I might as well just do this," he said, bending back down to kiss me again.
"And this," he added, sitting down next to me.
"Take a break?" I asked, with a laugh.
"Something better," he informed me, turning to look at me. "I know that I've been a little sketchy with this whole relationship thing this past week."
The fact that Parker had even mentioned the r-word was impressive honestly.
"And that hasn't been fair to you," Parker added. "Because I'm the one that asked you to do this with me."
"It takes two to tango buddy."
He laughed at that, the crinkles around his eyes softening.
I loved seeing that on him. I don't feel like he laughs enough, or even smiles for that matter.
"Emily Winston, will you make this official with me?"
I raised my eyebrows at him, feeling my heart beating in my chest.
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
*************************************************************************************************************
So what did you guys think about Parker & Emily's picnic date? What about Parker's thoughts, the things that were troubling him? And then Lee's secret? Do you understand why he kept it from Parker? And then what about the ending, when Parker asked Emily to be his girlfriend? Parkily anyone?
The picture off to the right was submitted by dauntlesspaige. Check it out! -->
So I just got home from vacation today and it was amazing, although I did get sunburnt on my feet. And guys, I don't know if you've ever been sunburnt on your feet before, but it really hurts. Like my feet are lobster red & swollen. So lesson learned to put sunscreen on my feet too apparently.
Teaser: Christmas! Emily's parents come to town.
Update: Monday-Wednesday